


By Camilla McLaughlin
Rapidly developing smart-home technology is leading to quickly changing capabilities and expectations. Coldwell Banker agents are educating themselves, and their clients.
Home automation has been around for decades as a pricey option in ultra-high-end properties. But innovations in both wireless protocols and networking that allow multiple devices to connect and interact have completely rewired technology for the home. The last 18 months have been especially pivotal, with the number of devices and apps almost exploding, and consumer acceptance reaching critical mass.
For luxury, technology is no longer a nice-to-have extra; instead it is an essential.Smart devices get attention, but what matters,as Michael Smith, vice president of sales for Lutron Electronics explains, “are the benefits these products bring and not how it gets done. Everybody wants it to be simple and easy.”
“If people buy a turnkey home, fully renovated, part of that turnkey idea is to have that smart-home technology. They are looking for smart-home technology the same way they want stainless steel appliances and other features,” says Danny Hertzberg of The Jills with Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate in Miami. “People are starting to get more comfortable with smart-home technology. It’s becoming more of…